With OTAs and minicamp wrapped up for the Detroit Lions, it’s time for the annual positional breakdown series. So far, we’ve covered the receivers; now it’s time to talk running backs.

The Lions’ running back room looks different heading into 2026, and the pecking order beyond the top two spots remains wide open. Jahmyr Gibbs steps into the bell cow role for the first time in his career, Isaiah Pacheco arrives to fill a specific niche, and a handful of depth backs will battle through training camp for the right to stick around. Let’s break it down.

Gibbs is the pace now

We know what Gibbs is capable of, but he’s never had to carry a backfield by himself. He shared the load with David Montgomery for years, and even with that split, he finished top five in receiving yards among running backs every season. Now the Lions are going to pile it on.

What does that mean in practice? Gibbs should be expected to handle a heavy workload on first and second down, territory that used to belong to Montgomery. He’s no longer the change-of-pace back. He is the pace. You’re going to see him get a ton of carries, a ton of targets in the passing game, and he has a real shot to lead the league in rushing yards.

I don’t think Gibbs is going to be a 2,000-yard rusher, but 1,500 to 1,600 rushing yards wouldn’t be crazy at all. When you factor in receiving numbers, something in the range of 1,800 to 1,900 total yards from scrimmage is very much on the table.

Pacheco fills the gap Detroit has needed

The most underrated thing about Pacheco that nobody is talking enough about is his pass blocking. He is a very good run blocker, he’s very good at picking up the blitz, and he brings that extra layer of protection the Lions have lacked. As much as Montgomery was fun and as much as everyone loves Gibbs, both of them struggled in that area.

Pacheco’s role figures to center on third downs, passing situations where Detroit needs an extra blocker, short-yardage work, and red zone carries. Lower the shoulder, get through the line, pound the rock. I don’t think you’ll see him much in the pass game the way Gibbs will dominate targets, but that’s fine. The Lions are going to love utilizing him in those dirty-work spots.

Sione Vaki has something to prove

I know Lions fans are frustrated with Vaki. Detroit traded up for him in the fourth round, and there were hopes he could eventually become the Montgomery replacement. Those hopes could still be there, but 2026 is going to be incredibly important.

The thing is that Vaki has dealt with some injuries, and that has really hamstrung his development and pushed his timeline back. I see people compare him to Giovanni Manu, and I think that is a poor comparison. Vaki is maybe one of the best special teams players in the league, or at least has a chance to be. Go back and watch the film. Very often, the guy making the tackle on coverage units is Vaki.

I wrote earlier this offseason about the possibility of moving Vaki back to safety, and I still think there’s some meat on that bone. But for now, the path forward is clear: stay healthy during training camp, make some moves in the preseason, and earn the RB3 spot. Pacheco is only here on a one-year deal. If Vaki can impress, maybe he’s the RB2 in 2027. But if the Lions’ intentions are to never elevate him above RB3, moving him back to safety might be the right call, even if it’s a bit late in his career to make that switch.

Jacob Saylors is the sleeper to watch

Saylors impressed me last summer. He came out of the UFL as an all-league running back and nobody expected him to make the roster. Right away, he showed the Lions a reason to carry four running backs into 2025, and he started getting reps as the return man on top of that. He never broke one for a touchdown, but he did just fine in that role.

Here’s the thing: I don’t think it’s crazy at all to believe Saylors could beat out Vaki for the RB3 spot. He absolutely has a shot, and he might be somebody to keep an eye on this summer.

The rest of the room

Jabari Small is a camp body, practice squad at the most. He had a decent summer last year, and the Lions are giving him another chance. Then there’s Kye Robichaux, who suffered a season-ending injury and reverted back to the Lions. Instead of cutting him outright, Detroit is giving him another shot, but we didn’t get to see much from him before the injury. He’s the mystery component of this whole thing.

The top of this running back room is set. The bottom is anyone’s guess. Let’s see how it shakes out when the pads come on.

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